After a long old January, February was short and, admittedly, sweet. I was back in the theatre a few times, read a few books and went on a mini adventure in London.
I found a few new favourites along the way, so as usual, here’s a list to share and hopefully inspire.
The Shadow Factory at NST
I took my Dad as my plus one to the second run of Nuffield Southampton Theatres’ The Shadow Factory, after it’s super-successful first performances in 2018. It returned in February this year with a few new faces, and we had a great evening. The history revealed by the play has reaffirmed my fondness for my adopted city home. Read my review
The Academy Hotel, London
Back in September, I won a wedding poetry competition in Stylist Magazine. The prize? Publication online and a two-night stay at the beautiful Academy Hotel in Bloomsbury, London.
I finally took advantage of my prize last month and took my Mum for a weekend away. It was cold, windy and I had the cold from hell, but we had a fantastic stay thanks to the kind staff at The Academy and made the most of our central location.
Showstopper! The Musical
While we stayed in London for our aforementioned weekend away, I suggested we see the Showstoppers for a night of hilarious improv at The Other Palace. I first saw the group at the Edinburgh Fringe back in 2016 and completely fell in love with them.
They were as brilliant as I remembered; we saw them perform a musical based at Bletchley Park called Don’t Code Breaking My Heart and I’m not sure my Mum had ever seen anything like it!
I can’t recommend seeing them enough if you’re looking for something completely different.
All The Things I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
I loved Celeste’s book, Little Fires Everywhere, and was excited to head backwards and read her first novel next. It was quite clearly a debut; it had the same voice and clever storytelling as in ATTINTY, but didn’t feel as settled yet.
Still, it was heartbreaking and beautifully written, and one worth reading for sure.
The Girl on the Train
I got to see the much-loved The Girl on the Train on stage at the Mayflower Theatre and had a great evening. It made a change from the usual musicals I see on the stage and surpassed my expectations – though I think the book still remains my favourite of the story’s three forms! Read my review.
Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy
I was looking through the Internet for Valentine’s poem inspiration and stumbled across Carol Ann Duffy’s Valentine. Though it may have been an obvious choice, and not the hardest to find, I loved the simplicity of it, the everyday imagery, and its relatability, and wanted to share it with you in the hope you will like it too.
Lucy & Yak dungarees
After weeks of faffing, I finally ordered a pair of Lucy and Yak organic dungarees and boy, are they a dream. They are comfy and flattering; perfect for my quest to start dressing for myself, and not worry so much about what other people think. They are sustainable, made with love and care, and are sure to last. I am sure they will not be the last pair I buy.
Jo Fisher Writes 
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